Applicator for metal fasteners



April 19, 1932. G. E. PURPLE APPLICATOR FOR METAL FASTENERS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 2l, 1930 @ewige f pazpZ@ April 19, 1932. G. E. PURPLE `1,854,998 A APPLICATOR FOR METAL FASTENERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed -March 2l, 1930 April 19, 1932. G. E. PURPLE APPLIICATOB` FOR METAL FASTENERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 2l, 1950 April 19, 1932. G. E. PURPLE 1,854,998v

APPLICATOR FOR METAL FAS'IINERS` Filed March 2l, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 (YB. x Illll ll ll'll a3 5 (l) b W l l ,W 3f moby N w w y l Znzfezzoz 3 @023e E /zwpe m2772665 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 WLM-, x

G. E. PURPLE APPLICATOR FOR METAL FASTENERS 'Filed March 21, 1930 April 19, 1932,

Patented Apr. 19, 1932 l-I TED STATES Pi ATEN T orsi es GEORGE PURPLE, 0F LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR'TO. FLEXIBLE LACING COMPANY, GF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, l'.A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS APPLCAE-OR FOR METAL FASTENERS,

Application .led March 21, 1930. rSeltialgle. 4375664.,

This .invention relates .te improvements in applicators for metal fasteners.

In the art of applying fasteners, suchas metallic lacings and hooks, to the ends .of j belts, it is desirable that a considerable length or number of the fasteners be clinched simultaneously in orderto speedup the operation. In the case of larger sizes @of vfasteners for heavy, thick belts, this resuitcan only be obtained by the. use of a great .amount of ypressure which is not availablein the usual plier, anvil .or .vise attachment types of applicators, heretofore marketed. Furthermore, .to perform the clinching operationen successive lengths of fasteners, provision must be made for separating the jaws Widely lenough to .per-

mit lthe insertion of a .new length or series of fasteners before the pressure is Iagain applied .te deform or clinch .the fasteners and, obviously, these adjustments should be. made rapidly even 4though the application ofthe final high pressures must necessarilybe done relatively slowly through .high leverage ratio multiplying means.

One object of my invention isto `providea heavy duty applicator or machine for clinching metal fasteners to. theends of belts,1conveyors or .the like, the applicator .being charaoterized by the fact that an extremelyheavy ultimate pressure ,may readily .beobtained for the final squeezing or clinching operation. y

Another .object of my invention is to `provide an applicator or machine of the `type above indicated wherein the adjustments for opening up the jaws for successiveoperations and the initial clinching Yor .deforming operations,may be done rapidly;

Another object ofv my invention vis to. provide a .machine ofthe type indicated Wherein the .iaW actuators are given a. relatively fast initial low leverage ratio movement and a relatively slow final high leverage ratio movement, tothereby vclinch the fasteners as quickly as possible.

Still another object-of my invention is vto provide a machine of t ie character above set forth which `is adapted for operationen different sizes of .belt fasteners Without any changing .of parts, except .the readily detach.- able holders.

Qther. .objects of .the invention will more` clearly appear. .from theA description .and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming Va part Yof'this speciiication,.Figure VA1 isa top ,plan 'View Aof a, .machine .embodying my :improvements Figure 2 is a front .elevational vvievv .of .the machine shown in Figure. 1. In this figure, both dotted and full. line positions areshovvn of certain of the parts.` Figure 3 .is aside elevation .of the .machine illustrated .in Figure 1. Figure 4 :is a verticalsectional view corresponding to the lline l-l of Figure `1. And Figure is a verticalfsectionalview corresponding :to 'rthejline 5 5 of :Figure 2.

Insaid drawings, amain frame is illustrated, .the same having base sections 10-10 Iat each side, .front-and rear .vertically upstanding Walls .l1- 11 'and a horizontal table Vsection 12 centrallydisposed, :said table section having a,v ividenedfcentrral portionfasindica'ted in .the ,plan vievvin Figure '1, -at 112'. The

machine also comprises, broadly, a pair of heavy supports 13-.13;a pair of actuators lll-14; a pair 'ofslidable .jaws 15S- 15; and a holder 16 for :the A.metal fasteners, together with suitable operating elementsand connections, hereinafter described.

Each of the supports -13 is pivotally attached, at its .lovver forked end-,to the base 10 vby means of a heavy pivot pin 17. Each support 1:3 is made of verysubstantialand rugged construction, preferably inthe form of a casting, the same having a main Web section-18.; vertically-extending ribs 19, projectingto the outer side, and approximately horizontally disposed ribs 20-20. 0n-opposite sides offthe center, `eachsmaport 13 is formed with a hub-like section 21 centrally apertured to `receive a heavy operating screw 22, the outer surfaceof each 'hub 21 providing a bearing surface :23. At its upper Vend and onthe inner face thereof., each support 13 is further provided with a hardened insert24, of preferably rectangular cross section, said inserts 24 functioning as fulcrums, as hereinafter described.

Each of the actuators 14 is preferably in the form of a substantial'casting, forked. at it lower end, as indicated at 25-"25 and apertured as indicated at 26 to provide clearance for the screws 22. At its upper end, each actuator 14 hastwo horizontally and longitudinally extending inserts 27 and 28 therein, the former having a beveled or knife outer surface bea-ring on the insert 24 of the corresponding support 13. Each'insert 28 likewise has'a beveled surface on the side facing the center of the machine to `serve as a fulcruni bearing for thecorresponding adjacent operating link 29, which, along its outer edge, has a special knife edge construction, as best indicated in Figure 4. This knife edge construction consists of a downwardly and outwardly sloping face 30, a relatively narrow face 31 which slopes downwardly and inwardly from the knife edgeA proper and a third face 32, which slopes downwardly and inwardly but at amore acuterangle to the vertical than'the face 31. I The insert 28 is preferably cutaway beginning at a point below the knife edge of theV link 29, thus insuring the knife edge always. bearingY on a flat face of the insert. At each end, each link 39 is provided with an extension of its knife edge construction, which extensions 33 are rounded so as to provide for rotative movement in circular openings 34 formed in two end links 35. Similarly, each of the inserts 24, 27 and 28 has its yends extended, with partial cylindrical surfaces fitting in the bearing openings of the links 35 whereby the parts are held properly assembled while permitting the necessary angular movements that take place, as hereinafter` described.

Each of the slidable jaws 15 is provided at its ends with -a' partial 'bearing extension 36 and th-e adjacent portions of the Corresponding link 29 have similar partial ournal extensions 37, said extensions 36 and working in journal bearing openings 38, intwo plates 39--39 ixedly secured to the slidable jaws 15 by suitable screws 40. Along its edge adjacent the slidable jaw r15 Veach link 29 is formed with a flat bearing face 41 and the opposed jaw is formed with a beveled surface-42 and-vertical surface 43, providing a knife edge which bears on the surface 41, so as to provide a fulcrum between the link and jaw. y

The table section 112 of the main casting, as best shown in Figure 5, is provided with a centrally disposed and transversely extending slot 44', of inverted T-section. Slidable .f within the slot 44 are two blocks 45-45,

. slightly beyond the front and back planes of themain casting, as shown vin Figure 5,

, lowing manner.

whereby to act on any length of fasteners that be accommodated within the holder 16. The holders16 are interchangeable, one with another, to accommodate different size fasteners, theV holders being held in proper position by a suitable spring-pressed latch 47 shown in Figure 5, the latch being adapted to be depressed to release the holder by a finger piece 48.

The-actuators 14 are operated in the folj Pivotally connected to the lower ends of the actuators 14, as by heavy pins 49-49, are two toggle links 50-50, which in turn are pivotally connected by a heavy pin shaft 51. The latter, at eachxend, carries a pinion 52, the pinions 52 cooperating with vertically extending' fixed racks 53-53 carried by the main casting 10, it beingunderstood that theV end walls of the main casting are suitably slotted to permit the up and down movements of the shaft 51,

the slots in fact forming guides for this purpose and cooperating with bushings '54-'54 applied tothe shaft, as shown in Figure 5. At the end ofthe shaft, at the front of the machine, is secured a two-arm operating lever 55, by which, as will be obvious, the

shaft 51 may be raised and lowered. To temporarily hold theV shaft51 in its uppermost position, any suitable means may be', provided, such as a spring-pressed pawl 56 carried by the main frame and which Ven gages the shaft 51 below its center, as illustrated in Figure 4. Y.

. Each of the screws 22 is formed at its ends with right and left screw threads 57 and with which cooperate preferably octagon nuts 58. Between each nut 58 and the corresponding bearing 23 of the support 13, is a heavy washer 59 having a rounded bearingface 60. Each nut 58 is disposed between a pair of ribs 19 of the support 13 and mounted on each nut is a locking plate 61 which fits relatively snugly between the pair of ribs 19 soas to preventv the nut `58 from turning. By adjusting the nuts 58 relative to thefscrew threads 57, any

desired spacing of the supports 13 may be obtained and, due to the fact that the nuts 58 are of octagonal form, the adjustments may be made to one-eighth of the pitch of the thread and the nuts then held in such adjusted position by slipping on the lock plates 61.

At the righthand end of the machine, asV

viewed in-Figure 1, the screws 22 carry sprocket gears 62-62 with wliich'cooperate's a sprocketA chain 63 to insure simultaneous actuation and one of thefscrews 22 is provided with a handle 64 for imparting rotation to the screws. The screws 22 are held against endwise movement with respect to the table 12 while being permitted to rotate, preferably by collars 65-65 attachedy to the/screws on opposite sides of the table 12, where the screws pass therethrough. Preferably each support 13 is provided with a fixed plate 66, i

as shown best in Figures land '4. .j These plates 66 are inA 11i-ne fwiththe screws 22, the one'at the righthand end, as viewed in Figure'4, being perforated for the accommodationA of the screws 22. Thelefthand plate 66 sea-ves as a stop for the ends of the screws 22 and both plates further function as a means for forcibly pulling the jaws away from the belt when, the handle 64 is rotated so as to move the jaws outwardly, --i-t being evident that the ends of the-screws will en -gage the lefthand plate 66 and the nuts 58 the righthand end plate, for Vvthis purpose, as vie-wed in Figure 4.

The operation of the device is as follows, first assumingthat a length or stri-p of fasteners has been properly inserted in the holder 16, as shown in Figure Ltand that one end of the belt .to which the fastener is to be applied, hasr been positioned and gauged within the holder, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4.

The lever 554 is rotated so as to` lower the shaft 51 to the full line position of the parts shown in Figure 4,` in` whichcondi-tion the lower ends of theractuators 14A are spread apart to the maximum amount. The handle 64 is then rotated so yas to effect rotation of the two, screws` 22-22 and thus bring the clinching jaws 1-5-15 up against the fasteners and initially enter the prongs of the fasteners inton the belt. The lever 55 is then y rotated. `in the opposite direction so as to elevate the shaft 51 and thereby retract the jaws 15 fromthe fasteners, the amount of retraction being obviously very small..

The shaft l51 will be held in its uppermost position by the .spring-pressed pawl 56pre- Vionsly .referredto Thereupon, the handle 64 is again rotated, so as. to turn `the screws 22 in vthe proper direction to bring the supports 18-1-3 toward each other and until the j awsV 15 are 'again brought'up against the prongs of the fasteners. Next, the lever 55 is rotated in a .clockwise direction so as to lower the shaft 51 and again spread thelower ends of the actuators 14 and :consequently force the jaws 1.5 toward each other, under very high leverage ratio and, consequently, further'embedding the prongs within the belt end. These operations will be `repeated as many times as necessary to effect the necessary embedding of the prongs and clinching thereof on the belt end.

During thev operations just described, it will .he noted that, when the Vshaft 51 is lowered, the actuators 14 fulcrnm on the supports 13 by means of the fulcrum inserts 24 and 27 and an extremely high leverage ratio is obtained, due to the approachto a straight line position of the toggles provi-ded by the c upper ends of the actuators 14 and links 29. lVhen the shaft 51 is in its uppermost position, and the screws 22 are rotated to bring the supports 13 toward each other, the supports 13 fulcrum about the pivot pins 1'? and also the-actuators 14 fulcrum about theirpins 49, at the bottoms thereof. While the pressure obtained by actuation of the actuatorslll duringthe lowering of the shaft v51v is. extremely high, it is obvious that the pressure obtainable by actuating the screws -22 is much less and hence the pressure derived from the `operating handle 64 is only utilized in starting the prongs into the belt and thereafterV in shifting thejaws 15 to take up the spacing produced after each actuation and retraction, of the jaws throughl the actuators 14. i ,j f 1 W'ith the arrangement shown and de` scribed, it is obvious that the machine is adapted to apply heavy fasteners to thick belts of any desired width in an expeditious and efficient manner and, further, the necessary adjustments maybe made in the machine for applying different size' fasteners to differ ent size belts with a powerful squeezingor clinching action always insured, merely by inserting the proper size holder 16. I have herein shown and `described what I now consider the preferred manner of' carrying'out my invention, but the same is merely illustra-tive, and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come withinthescope of the claims appended hereto.`

In a machine ofthe character described,

the combina/tion with a frame havingatable; of clinching jaws directlymounted on said table; actuators for said jaws; operating meansfor applying power to said actuators at one point thereon; and other independently operating means for applying power vto-.s'aid actuators at a different point thereon.` Y

2. In amachine of the character described for applying metal fasteners, the combination with a frame; of a pairofbloclrs mounted on said frame to move toward and from each other thereon, each block carrying a relativelylong clinching jaw adapted to simultaneously engage a number of fasteners;an

actuator for each of said blocks; and two sets of separatelyoperab'le means for imparting movement to said actuators.

In a machine of the character described, the combination with a frame having means to directly support andretain an upwardly facing holder for fasteners in fixed position of clinching ljaws disposed adjacent thereto and movable in a 'plane abovethe holder;

actuators for said jaws; operating means for M applying power to said actuators at one point thereon; and other separate operating means for applying power tosaid actuatorsat a diHerent point thereon.-

4.Y ln a machine of the character described, the combination with a frame; of an upf wardlyfacing holder for-belt yfasteners directly supported on and fixed with respect to said frame; a pair of blocks `movably mounted on said frame and each carrying` a clinching jaw'adapted to simultaneously engage a plurality of fasteners; actuators foi` said blocks; and two independent sets of operating means for imparting movement to said actuators.

5. In a machine of thev character described, the combination with a frame; of slidably mounted clinching jaws; actuators for said jaws; means pivotally connected to each actuator at one point; other means pivotally connect-ed to each actuator at a different point; and operating devices so arranged that either of said kpivotal connections is' adapted to act as the fulcrum for pivotal movement ofthe actuators. 6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a frame having a table;

Y clinching jaws supported directly by said table; means for inducing relative approach and separation of said jaws including an actuator; operating means for Vapplying power to said actuator at one point thereon; andother independently operating means for applying power to said actuator at a different point thereon.

7. In a machine ofthe character described,

` the combinationA withV a frame; of a block slidably-mounted on apart of said frame and provided with a clinching jaw; an opposing clinching jaw; an actuator. for and pivotally connected to said block; and two sets of separately operable means for imparting movementA to said actuator.

8. In a machine of the character described, thecombination with a frame having a table portion; of jaw-carrying members movably and directly supported on said table portion; actuators forsaid members; means for 0p-` eratingvsaid actuators in one manner; and separate, independent means 'for operating said actuators in a different manner.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a frame provided with means for holding the fasteners with the clinching ends thereof projecting and adapted to receive the end of a belt or the like therebetween; of opposed cliiiching jaws; a pair of actuators each fulcrumed at its end adjacent the jaws; a pivotal connection between each jaw and its corresponding actuator to provide, in effect, a toggle action for the jaws as the same approach each other; and means for imparting pivotal movement to the actuators Vabout Vsaid 'fulcrums 10. Y In a machine ofthe character described, the combination with a frame provided with means for holding the fasteners with the clinchin g ends thereof projecting and adapted to receive the end of a belt Vor the like therebetween; of opposed .clinching jaws; a pairof movably mountedsupports; actuators eachr fulcrumed at its end adjacent the jaws on a support; a pivotal link connection between each jaw and its actuator; means for imparting pivotal movement tothe actuators about said fulcrums; and means for simul taneously adjusting bothof said supports toward and from each other.

11. In a machine of the character described,

the combination with a frame provided with means for holding the fasteners with the clinching ends thereof projecting and adapt ed to receive the end of a belt or the like therebetween; of opposed clinching jaws;

a pair of actuators, each fulcrumed at its end adjacent the jaws; a pivotal link connection between each jaw and its corresponding actuator to provide, in effect, a toggle action for the jaws as the same approach each other; L i

and means for imparting pivotal movement to the actuators about said fulcrums, said means including toggle links between thefree mounted actuators Yfor said members; means for moving one set of ends of said actuators towar-d and from each other ;-and other means for moving the opposite ends of'said actuators from and toward each other.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a frame hav-l ing a' stationary 'fixed table; of means for holding fasteners mounted on said table; supports pivotally mounted at their lower ends on said frame; actuators vpivotally A mounted at their upper ends on said supports; clinching jaws operatively connected to the upper ends of said actuators and adapted for movement toward and from each other;

means forspreading and retracting the lower ends of said actuators; and means for adjusting the upper ends of the supports to* ward and from each other, said means including rotatable right and left screws and nuts cooperable therewith..

14. In a machine ofthe character described, thecombination with a frame having a' horizontal table; of fastener-holding means secured to the table; a pair of opposed clinch.v

ing jaws disposed at opposite sides of said means on said table; means for slidably con- .Q

izo

said jaws to the table; an-d successively op- Y erable means for imparting a relatively quick low leverage ratio and a relatively slow high leverage ratio movement to said jaws, ysaid r successively operable means including pivotally mounted supports, actuators pivotally interposed between said supports and jaws and operating devices for said supports and actuators.

In Witness that I claim the foregoin I have hereunto subscribed my name this 1 th day of February, 1930.

GEOR

GE E. PURPLE. 

